Body believed to be Gary Sheats' found in Denver motel

By Pierrette J. Shields Longmont Times-Call

Posted:
03/12/2013 07:43:28 PM MDT

Updated:
03/12/2013 08:50:11 PM MDT

Gary Sheats, who pleaded guilty last month to causing a DUI-related wreck that killed an unborn baby and injured the baby s mother and grandmother, is believed to have been found dead in a Denver motel room Tuesday afternoon.
(
Greg Lindstrom
)

DENVER -- A body found in a Denver Motel 6 on Tuesday afternoon is likely a man who pleaded guilty last month to causing a DUI-related wreck that killed an unborn baby and injured the baby's mother and grandmother, according to police.

Longmont police have been looking for Sheats since his parents reported him missing on Monday afternoon and tracked him to the Motel 6 at Interstate 70 and Federal Boulevard, according to Longmont Police Cmdr. Jeff Satur. Longmont police asked Denver officers to check on him and they reportedly found a body believed to be Sheats on Tuesday afternoon. The Denver County Coroner will make the final determination on identity, cause, and manner of death.

Satur said that because Sheats attempted suicide once before, police are investigating whether he killed himself. He added that foul play is not suspected.

Sheats' family and the victims in the crash were notified on Tuesday evening, Satur confirmed.

Satur said Sheats left Longmont on Friday to visit Denver, but did not return on Saturday as planned.

Sheats pleaded guilty last month in Boulder District Court to two counts of felony vehicular assault and driving under the influence. He was out of jail on bond awaiting an April 3 sentencing hearing. He faced up to 20 years in prison under the terms of the plea deal he accepted with prosecutors.

Advertisement

"It is always disappointing and in this case very sad when victims of a tragic crime are deprived of the right to see the offender get sentenced to a just and appropriate sentence," said Boulder County prosecutor Ryan Brackley on Tuesday afternoon. "In this case, that likely would have been a sentence that kept Gary Sheats in prison for the rest of his life."

Sheats was charged with two counts of vehicular assault, two counts of felony leaving the scene of an accident, two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence, one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence on a third offense and careless driving. Prosecutors dismissed the balance of his charges under the deal.

Sheats was arrested July 5 on the 1200 block of Winslow Circle after a witness followed him from the crash at 17th Avenue and Pace Street.

According to police, Sheats was a driving a Dodge Durango west on 17th Avenue and turned left onto Pace Street in front of Heather Surovik's white Pontiac Grand Prix. Surovik, who was 27 at the time, was badly injured, and she lost a baby boy, Brady Paul, who was due to be born within days. Surovik's mother, a passenger, suffered minor injuries.

The vehicular assault charges cover Surovik and her mother. Under current Colorado law, the baby's loss was included as part of Surovik's injuries and not as a separate individual.

Lockheed says object part of 'sensor technology' testing that ended ThursdayWhat the heck is that thing? It's fair to assume that question was on the minds of many people who traveled along Colo. 128 south of Boulder this week if they happened to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a large, silver projectile perched alongside the highway and pointed north toward town.

PARIS (AP) — Bye, New York! Ciao, Milan! Bonjour, Paris! The world's largest traveling circus of fashion editors, models, buyers and journalists has descended on the French capital, clutching their metro maps and city guides, to cap the ready-to-wear fashion season. Full Story